Another fab book about the Fab Four! But what does this one bring to the over-saturated field of Beatles-related writing? It does not pretend to be a serious, in-depth work. In these very short chapters, we learn about 100 people who changed the Beatles’ lives and careers, from managers, producers, family, girlfriends, and other musicians, to promoters, politicians, policemen and the various people described as the fifth Beatle.

Stuart Maconie brings his journalism / radio / TV experience, a humorous northern outlook and some strong opinions to bring us yet another new perspective on the best music group of all time. It’s very current, referring to John & Paul by Ian Leslie (published the same year) and a variety of podcasts, YouTube videos and social media posts, as well as documentaries, interviews and photos. It’s not fully referenced, unlike some other books about the Beatles. Occasionally the writing didn’t quite make sense to me and it also needed more thorough proofreading. I wouldn’t say it’s one of the best books on the subject but it was an enjoyable read, full of trivia, what-ifs, and thoughtful observations. If you’ve never read a book about the Beatles before, or if you don’t know a lot about their history, don’t start with this one, because it assumes you know it already.

Published by HarperNorth, 2025.

Related book reviews: One Two Three Four by Craig Brown, Beatles ’66 by Steve Turner, The Lost Album of The Beatles by Daniel Rachel.